12 Find out how many grown men there are in Israel and require each of them to pay me to keep him safe from danger while you are counting them. 13-15 Each man over nineteen, whether rich or poor, must pay me the same amount of money, weighed according to the official standards. 16 This money is to be used for the upkeep of the sacred tent, and because of it, I will never forget my people.
Isaiah 29
17 Soon the forest of Lebanon will become a field with crops, thick as a forest.[d] 18 The deaf will be able to hear whatever is read to them; the blind will be freed from a life of darkness. 19 The poor and the needy will celebrate and shout because of the Lord, the holy God of Israel.
20 All who are cruel and arrogant will be gone forever. Those who live by crime will disappear, 21 together with everyone who tells lies in court and keeps innocent people from getting a fair trial.
World Scripture and the Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Chapter 4
God’s Creation and Human Creativity
The Sanctity of Nature
Nature is sacred; all creatures great and small are endowed with God’s life and a modicum of God’s spirit. this insight, shared by all religious traditions, is the basis of reverence and respect for all living things. in the Abrahamic religions, God created every creature according to his purpose and imbued with his loving heart. therefore, every existence, down to a grain of sand or a blade of grass, contains elements of the divine. Furthermore, nature exhibits a marvelous balance. hence, nature is a reliable source of poetic and religious inspiration. by contemplating nature in its original purity, we can touch God. As sensitive people recognize, all creatures possess some level of conscious awareness. the diverse species of animals and plants form tribes and nations like the races and nations of man. they are our brothers and sisters, supported by the same Mother earth that lent us the elements that constitute our bodies and sustain our life. When thinking of all the things nature provides, we have much to be thankful for. not only that; as Father Moon teaches, each creature, a precious living masterpiece of God, exists for me—for my enjoyment, inspiration and instruction, to love and care for.
1. Divinity within the Natural World
The earth is the Lord ’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. Psalm 24.1
Even in a single leaf of a tree, or a tender blade of grass, the awe-inspiring Deity manifests itself. Urabe-no-Kanekuni (Shinto)
This earth is a garden, the Lord its gardener, cherishing all, none neglected. Adi Granth, Mahj Ashtpadi 1, M.3, p. 118 (Sikhism)
My energy enters the earth, Sustaining all that lives: I became the moon, Giver of water and sap, To feed the plants and trees. Bhagavad-Gita 15.13 (Hinduism)
The solid sky, the cloudy sky, the good sky, the straight sky. The earth produces herbs. The herbs cause us to live. They cause long life. They cause us to be happy. The good life, may it prevail with the air. May it increase. May it be straight to the end. Sweet Medicine’s earth is good. Sweet Medicine’s earth is completed. Sweet Medicine’s earth follows the eternal ways. Sweet Medicine’s earth is washed and flows. Cheyenne Song (Native American Religion)
Thou makest springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow between the hills, they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild asses quench their thirst. By them the birds of the air have their habitation; they sing among the branches. From thy lofty abode thou waterest the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy work. Thou dost cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread to strengthen man’s heart. The trees of the l ord are watered abundantly, the cedars of Lebanon which he planted. In them the birds build their nests… O l ord , how manifold are thy works! Psalm 104.10-24
The stream crosses the path, the path crosses the stream: Which of them is the elder? Did we not cut the path to go and meet this stream? The stream had its origin long, long ago. It had its origin in the Creator. He created things pure, pure, tano. Ashanti Verse (African Traditional Religion)
22 You obeyed the truth,and your souls were made pure. Now you sincerely love each other. But you must keep on loving with all your heart. 23 Do this because God has given you new birth by his message that lives on forever. 24 The Scriptures say,
“Humans wither like grass, and their glory fades like wild flowers. Grass dries up, and flowers fall to the ground. 25 But what the Lord has said will stand forever.”
Our good news to you is what the Lord has said.
Richard: Here we see the importance of our Daily Study of Scripture. And in this age that is the Eight Sacred Textbooks.
Isaiah 39
39 Merodach Baladan, the son of Baladan, was now king of Babylonia. And when he learned that Hezekiah was well, he sent messengers with letters and a gift for him. 2 Hezekiah welcomed the messengers and showed them all the silver, the gold, the spices, and the fine oils that were in his storehouse. He even showed them where he kept his weapons. Nothing in his palace or in his entire kingdom was kept hidden from them.
3 I asked Hezekiah, “Where did these men come from? What did they want?”
“They came all the way from Babylonia,” Hezekiah answered.
4 “What did you show them?” I asked.
Hezekiah answered, “I showed them everything in my kingdom.”
5 Then I told Hezekiah:
I have a message for you from the Lord All-Powerful. 6 One day everything you and your ancestors have stored up will be taken to Babylonia. The Lord has promised that nothing will be left. 7 Some of your own sons will be taken to Babylonia, where they will be disgraced and made to serve in the king’s palace.
8 Hezekiah thought, “At least our nation will be at peace for a while.” So he told me, “The message you brought from the Lord is good.”
Richard: Wow! This is a very interesting passage. The King was very trusting and vain. But perhaps he should have looked at the long term picture and the fact that the Babylonians, even though friendly now, were not centered on God, but on other nefarious or demonic goals. Much of what passes for discurse today comports with a standard that is not centered on God’s Word. See theRheama above.
Commentary from the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
5. Hear the word of the Lord] Isaiah’s tone is threatening, because he sees in this thing a sin against Jehovah. It was not necessary to specify wherein the offence consisted; king and prophet understood each other perfectly. The reception of an embassy from the sworn enemy of the king of Assyria was in itself an act of rebellion likely to precipitate a conflict which Isaiah strove to avert; and the childish vanity displayed by Hezekiah, his pride in earthly resources, and his readiness to enter into friendly relations with the powers of this world, were tendencies against which Isaiah’s ministry had been a continuous protest. All these tendencies sprang from a single root, the lack of that absolute faith in Jehovah as the all-sufficient guide and protector of the nation which was the fundamental article of Isaiah’s political programme.
World Scripture and the Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Chapter 3
The Value of Human Life
2. A Human Being Has the Value of the Universe
In heaven and on earth, I alone am the Honored One. Ch’ang A-han Ching (Buddhism)
When I look at Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars which Thou hast established; What is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that Thou dost care for him? Yet Thou hast made him little less than God, and dost crown him with glory and honor. Psalm 8.3-5
Surely We have honored the children of Adam, and We carry them on land and sea, and We provide them with good things, and We make them to excel highly most of those whom We have created. Qur’an 17.70
The whole world was created only for the sake of the righteous man. He weighs as much as the whole world. The whole world was created only to be united to him. Talmud, Shabbat 30b (Judaism)
We prescribed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a human being, except to retaliate for manslaughter or for corruption done in the land, it shall be as if he had killed all of human- kind; and whoso saves the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the lives of all humankind. Qur’an 5.32
Only one single man [Adam] was created in the world, to teach that, if any man has caused a single soul to perish, Scripture imputes it to him as though he had caused the whole world to perish, and if any man saves alive a single soul, Scripture imputes it to him as though he had saved the whole world. Also, man [was created singly] to show the greatness of the Holy One, Blessed be He, for if a man strikes many coins from one mold, they all resemble one another, but the King of Kings, the Holy One, made each man in the image of Adam, and yet not one of them resembles his fellow. Therefore every single person is obligated to say, “The world was created for my sake.” Mishnah, Sanhedrin 4.5 (Judaism)
Teachings of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon
An individual human being is more precious than the universe. Each person’s value is infinite, because he or she is created as God’s partner of love. (262:145, July 23, 1994)
One human being, although seemingly an insignificant individual, has the potential to represent all of human history and all relationships with the future. Therefore, he or she has cosmic value. (4:268, August 3, 1958)
What value does God bestow on human beings? God created us to be His partners of love. Therefore, human beings are meant to share God’s absolute, unique value. Yet people are ignorant of this amazing truth. These days, what is a human life worth? Yet, God created men and women as His partners of love, with a precious value that cannot be exchanged even for the whole universe! (142:143, March 8, 1986)
Even God cannot have true love, peace and happiness, or attain His ideal, apart from His object partners. What would be the use of peace or happiness to God if He were alone?… Please understand that each of you is indispensable for completing God’s true love, God’s peace, God’s happiness and God’s ideal. We have been unaware of our value. When you experience your precious, awesome and lofty value, which can bring love, peace, happiness and the ideal even to God, you can praise yourself and feel reverence for yourself. (77:314, April 30, 1975)
When you marry, you want your spouse to be better than you. You hope that your sons and daughters will marry spouses who are better than them. Whose trait does this resemble? It is God’s! Heavenly Father wishes for His partners and objects of love to be better than Him. Can we deny this? Human value is supreme. From the viewpoint of love, it can be even greater than God! For this reason, your mind desires what is highest. This is not inconceivable. All human beings could have attained this value, had there been no fall. Dwelling in that supreme, heavenly state, they were to manage and lead the universe. (211:272, December 30, 1990)
Every human being possesses a unique individuality. No matter how many billions of people are born on the earth, no two will ever have exactly the same personality. Each person is God’s substantial object partner who manifests a distinctive aspect of God’s dual characteristics. Hence, that person is the only one in the entire universe who can stimulate that distinctive aspect of God’s nature to bring Him joy. Every person who has completed the purpose of creation is thus a unique existence in the cosmos. We can thus affirm the Buddha’s saying, “In heaven and on earth, I alone am the honored one.” (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Christology 1)
Above and below, front and rear, and right and left—everyone is related to me. These relationships are not temporary but life-long. They extend from the beginning of human history, and connect me to my posterity thousands of generations into the future. If I were to be broken, my relationship with God would also be broken. My family would be damaged, as would my clan and the whole world. That is why I am a microcosm, representing heaven and earth. My heart desires to embrace Heaven, and my body to possess the earth. I want to be enraptured by the heart of the Sovereign Lord. I want to be His representative, who cannot be defeated by anyone or anything in heaven and earth. If I deeply analyze myself in the context of these relationships, I can understand that I am the greatest being, with infinite value. (8:10-11, October 25, 1959)
The question, however, is whether we are in a condition to receive the value that God intends to give. If we were beautiful both internally and externally, we would illuminate heaven and earth like a diamond or a brilliant gem. (352:25-26, September 16, 2001)
Today is the last day to register for the Urban Life Training Chapter Workshop, online or in-person on July 3rd 2020. Learn materials that teach about the physical, intellectual, emotional and long term benefits of sexual abstinence before marriage. Learn about setting up a Chapter of Urban Life Training to teach this material to middle and high school youth: https://www.urbanlifetraining.org/index.php/109-training/351-urban-life-training-chapter-workshop .
Romans 4
9 Are these blessings meant for circumcised people or for those who are not circumcised? Well, the Scriptures say that God accepted Abraham because Abraham had faith in him. 10 But when did this happen? Was it before or after Abraham was circumcised? Of course, it was before.
Richard: What is the universal religion in this new age? On the external level, it is the teaching of sexual abstinence and purity before marriage, and absolute fidelity and faithfulness within marriage. This is what we will be teaching about in the Urban Life Training Chapter Workshop. Internally, the universal religion is the teachings of the Eight Sacred Textbooks and the Blessing of Marriage taught by Rev. Sun Myung Moon as the True Parent.
Isaiah 41
3 He goes after them so quickly that his feet barely touch the ground— he doesn’t even get hurt.
4 Who makes these things happen? Who controls human events? I do! I am the Lord. I was there at the beginning; I will be there at the end. 5 Islands and foreign nations saw what I did and trembled as they came near.
World Scripture and the Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Chapter 3
The Purpose of Human Life
The Temple of God
Human beings are meant to be the living temples of God. At the creation of man God injected a special element of His Spirit that endows the human mind with divine qualities, such as love, creativity, and the desire for the eternal. God wants to make His home in human beings. With the Spirit of God resonating with the mind, the body sees, hears and acts as God would see, hear and act. By thus acting on behalf of the formless and invisible God, human beings are sanctified, and through them God is able to sanctify others. In Hinduism and other eastern faiths, this indwelling presence of Ultimate Reality is called the Self or Atman. However, most people live in ignorance of the Self, and they live entirely from egoistic motives. To misconstrue the personal ego as the Holy Spirit would be a serious error and even a mark of insanity. For Father Moon, we are like temples that suffered desecration due to the tragedy of the human fall. God’s Spirit cannot dwell in fallen people. Originally, Adam and Eve were to become temples of God and act as God’s earthly body to beautify this world and transform it into a Garden of Eden. Jesus came as God’s temple; therefore he could reveal God in his person. Through God’s grace and human efforts at restoration, we too can attain the position of God’s temples.
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 1 Corinthians 3.16
Let a man always consider himself as if the Holy One dwells within him. Talmud, Ta’anit 11b (Judaism)
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. 3 Galatians 2.20
Heaven and earth contain Me not, but the heart of my faithful servant contains Me. Hadith of Suhrawardi (Islam)
Just as God fills the whole world, so the soul fills the body. Just as God sees but is not seen, so the soul sees but is not itself seen. Just as God feeds the whole world, so the soul feeds the whole body. Just as God is pure, so the soul is pure. Just as God dwells in the innermost precincts [of the Temple], so also the soul dwells in the innermost part of the body. Talmud, Berakot 10a (Judaism)
When I love him, I am his hearing by which he hears, his sight by which he sees, his hand by which he strikes, and his foot with which he walks. 40 Hadith of an-Nawawi 38 (Islam)
I have breathed into man of My spirit. Qur’an 15.29
The l ord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2.7
Smaller than the smallest, greater than the great- est, this Self forever dwells within the hearts of all. When a man is free from desire, his mind and senses purified, he beholds the glory of the Self and is without sorrow. Though seated, he travels far; though at rest, he moves all things. Who but the purest of the pure can realize this Effulgent Being, who is joy and who is beyond joy. Formless is he, though inhabiting form. In the midst of the fleeting he abides forever. All-pervading and supreme is the Self. The wise man, knowing him in his true nature, transcends all grief. Katha Upanishad 1.2.20-22 (Hinduism)
Bright but hidden, the Self dwells in the heart. Everything that moves, breathes, opens, and closes lives in the Self. He is the source of love and may be known through love but not through thought. He is the goal of life. Attain this goal! The shining Self dwells hidden in the heart. Everything in the cosmos, great and small, lives in the Self. He is the source of life, truth beyond the transience of this world. He is the goal of life. Attain this goal! Mundaka Upanishad 2.2.1-2 (Hinduism)
The rich build temples to Shiva, What shall I, a poor man, do? O my Lord! my legs are the pillars, My torso, the shrine, And my head, the golden pinnacle! Things standing shall fall, But the moving ever shall stay! 4 Basavanna, Vacana 820 (Hinduism)
Abdullah bin Omar saw the Messenger (PBUH) walking around the Ka’ba saying, “How blessed you are, O Ka’ba, and your fragrant wind. How great, how great is your sacredness! By Allah, owner of my soul, to Allah the sacredness of a believer has greater holiness than you.” Sunnan Ibn Majah 5 2.3932 (Islam)
Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not cre- ated or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receives not the light is under condemnation. For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fullness of joy; and when separated, man cannot receive a fullness of joy. The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples; and whatsoever temple is defiled, God shall destroy that temple. 6 Doctrine and Covenants 93.29-35 (Latter-day Saints)
11 You can see what big letters I make when I write with my own hand.
12 Those people who are telling you to get circumcised are only trying to show how important they are. And they don’t want to get into trouble for preaching about the cross of Christ. 13 They are circumcised, but they don’t obey the Law of Moses. All they want is to brag about having you circumcised. 14 But I will never brag about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his cross, the world is dead as far as I am concerned, and I am dead as far as the world is concerned.
Richard: In this era, right now, Rev. Sun Myung Moon has brought us the Eight Sacred Texts and The Blessing of Marriage, with his wife, as the True Parents. Yet many cling to incorrect Christian doctrine, such as that the primary purpose that Jesus came for was to die on the cross, not, instead, to be believed by the people, which he stated clearly (John 6:28).
Isaiah22
5 The Lord All-Powerful had chosen a time for noisy shouts and confusion to fill Vision Valley, and for everyone to beg the mountains for help.[d] 6 The people of Elam and Kir[e] attacked with chariots[f] and carried shields. 7 Your most beautiful valleys were covered with chariots; your cities were surrounded by cavalry troops. 8 Judah was left defenseless.
World Scripture and the Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Chapter 3
The Purpose of Human Life
For God’s Good Pleasure
2.God’s Joy in Human Beings
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
God came to us in order to feel joy through our daily life. (Way of God’s Will 2.2)
Though God is the Absolute Being, He cannot be happy alone. Adjectives such as “good” and “happy” cannot apply to any being that lives in isolation. They apply only where there is a robust mutual relationship. Imagine a professional singer who finds herself exiled to an uninhabited island. She may sing at the top of her voice, but with no one to listen, will it bring her happiness? In the same way, even the self-existent God absolutely needs a partner to share love with in order to experience joy and be happy. (September 12, 2005)
God’s creation was a necessary act. The ideal of true love that God is creating cannot be realized by a solitary being. This ideal exists so that God can share with human beings the joy of His exalted and righteous Will. When we understand the God of true love correctly, it is self-evident that this unhappy world of sin and strife was not His original plan. (400:81, December 27, 2002)
Just as in a family, where the basis of the parents’ happiness is when they have children, it is likewise unmistakable that God’s purpose in searching for humanity is to attain His own happiness through His children. There is no basis for God’s happiness if human beings are excluded. Therefore, God strives to connect with human beings and bring them to Himself, establishing a realm where God and human beings are in unity. Just as we do, God experiences happiness when all the varieties of heart are present in the family. (32:197, July 15, 1970)
If we were to ask God to tell us why He created this world, He would no doubt answer, “Because I liked it.” Because He liked it. Because it gave Him joy. God created this world to obtain joy. This state of liking, this joy, is obtained through love. God wanted to rejoice; therefore He created this world for the realization of love. God wanted to rejoice over a world of warm and harmonious love, where human beings and all creatures would dwell as one in God’s love. God wanted to rejoice over men and women who would form true conjugal relationships in His love, and then build families, tribes, nations and a world of love; and God would taste the joy of love through the loving oneness of these human beings. This was the very ideal of God’s creation. If human beings had accomplished everything for God exactly as He had envisioned and according to His Will, then God would have become the God of joy, God of glory, and God of happiness. (113:312)
God did not create human beings as objects for His amusement or as a hobby. It is impossible to express in words how hard God worked and the efforts He devoted to create human beings and establish them as the center of all created beings. In creating human beings, God devoted Himself, making many efforts. He gave them all His heart and soul and the essence of His life. He totally invested His love and affection. He created them to be in a relationship that no force can ever undo or sever. Because God created them in such a way, only when He beholds them [in their original unfallen state] can He finally feel at peace. (20:207, June 9, 1968)
God created all things in heaven and earth because it pleased Him to behold them. Many Christians today say, “God is the Creator, and we are His creatures. There can be no parity or resemblance between the Creator and His creatures.” This would mean that God is always absolute and alone, in a position without an object partner. Nothing would be greater unhappiness. Consider a man of authority, even the president of a country; his wife has died and he lives alone. Would his son say to him, “Father, you must be so happy to be living alone”? Surely his father would reply, “You rascal. How can I be happy?” Rather the son should say, “Father, would you like me find you a new wife?” That would be a filial son. (57:247, June 4, 1972)
God’s purpose in creating the universe was to feel joy when He saw the purpose of goodness fulfilled in the Heavenly Kingdom, which the whole creation, including human beings, could have established… The purpose of the universe’s existence centered on human beings is to return joy to God, the Creator. (Exposition of the Divine Principle, Creation 3.1)
Join us for the Urban Life Training Chapter Workshop, online or in-person on July 3rd 2020. Learn materials that teach about the physical, intellectual, emotional and long term benefits of sexual abstinence before marriage. Learn about setting up a Chapter of Urban Life Training to teach this material to middle and high school youth: https://www.urbanlifetraining.org/index.php/109-training/351-urban-life-training-chapter-workshop .
Ephesians 1
9 I want you to know about the great and mighty power that God has for us followers. It is the same wonderful power he used 20 when he raised Christ from death and let him sit at his right side in heaven. 21 There Christ rules over all forces, authorities, powers, and rulers. He rules over all beings in this world and will rule in the future world as well. 22 God has put all things under the power of Christ, and for the good of the church he has made him the head of everything. 23 The church is Christ’s body and is filled with Christ who completely fills everything.
Isaiah 63
13 He led his people across like horses running wild without stumbling. 14 His Spirit gave them rest, just as cattle find rest when led into a valley. The name of the Lord was praised for doing these things.
World Scripture and the Teachings of Sun Myung Moon
Chapter 3
The Purpose of Human Life
For God’s Good Pleasure
As creatures, human beings are created with a purpose determined by their Creator. The monotheistic religions in particular recognize that God created human beings to serve, love and glorify Him. We can thus find fulfillment through service and obedience. However, as our heavenly Father, God would also want us to be children who reflect His image and likeness in the world by spreading love and benevolence throughout the human race. God is the Enjoyer of all phenomena in some texts; specifically, we can speak of God’s joy when His purpose of creation is fulfilled. It is our privilege as human beings to return such joy to God. Father Moon explains God’s purpose for creating human beings as a creative partnership, where we take after God’s loving nature and God in turn rejoices to see countless images of Himself as we establish loving families and relate to one another and to all God’s creatures with divine love. Nevertheless, due to the Fall of the first ancestors, people do not form loving families or treat the creation with love. Therefore, God has never experienced the fullness of joy. (See Chapter 6: God’s Grief.)
Our Purpose Is to Serve God
I have created the jinn and humankind only that they may serve Me. No sustenance do I require that they should feed Me. For God is He who gives all sustenance, the Lord of Power, Steadfast. Qur’an 51.56-58
All that God created in His world He created only for His glory, as it is said, “All that is called by my name, for my glory I created and fash- ioned and made it” (Isaiah 43.7). Avot 6.11 (Judaism)
There is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist. 1 Corinthians 8.6
The greatest bliss is the good pleasure of God: that is the supreme felicity. Qur’an 9.72
Why, is he better who founds his building upon the fear of God and His good pleasure, or he who founds his building upon the brink of a crumbling bank that will tumble with him into the fire of hell? And God does not guide the people of the evildoers. Qur’an 9.109
If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day, by lov- ing the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his stat- utes and his ordinances, then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land. Deuteronomy 30.16
Do not try to develop what is natural to man; develop what is natural to Heaven. He who develops Heaven benefits life; he who develops man injures life. Chuang Tzu 19 (Taoism)
If it be your wish, O people, to know God and to discover the greatness of His might, look, then, upon Me with My own eyes, and not with the eyes of anyone besides Me. You will, otherwise, be never capable of recognizing Me, though you ponder My Cause as long as My Kingdom endures. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh 127 (Bahá’i Faith)
Teachings of Rev. Sun Myung Moon
Originally, human beings were created to be happy, full of life and joy before God their Parent. Our existence should be for the glory of God. (52:36, December 12, 1971)
What should we human beings set as our purpose? Rather than setting our purpose on the individual, family, community, nation, world, or even the cosmos, we should set our purpose on God. Our purpose should be to bring God and humankind together. (41:323, February 18, 1971)
For what purpose were we born? What should be our center as we go through life, and what should be our ultimate goal? These questions absolutely cannot be answered if we exclude God. Without God, our life will have no connection to the Cause. Even if he makes some success in his life, a person who lacks a connection to the Cause cannot reap the result, and the value of his result cannot be recognized. A building is constructed according to a blueprint created by an architect. A building built without a blueprint cannot become what the Architect intends. (21:100, November 17, 1968)
My life is for the sake of God and the world. You also should think to live for God and the world. You should not think to live merely for yourself… Always check how closely you are aligned to the life that God wants you to live. (147:115, August 31, 1986)
